In this course, learners will become familiar with principles and theories of global health problems, and major challenges and controversies in improving global population health as well as practical applications of quantitative methods to analyze and interpret issues and challenges for policy. Topics will include health and foreign policy, health governance, acute disease surveillance, non-communicable diseases, burden of disease, universal health coverage, health systems strengthening, health financing, and human resources for health and ageing.

From the lesson

The Future of Japan's Health System: Sustaining Good Health with Equity at Low Cost

One of the central themes in today’s global health policy is the achievement of universal health coverage (UHC). The recent Ebola crisis has indicated that not only responses, but preparedness is key to tackling health emergencies. There is a growing consensus that a set of low-cost, smart investments at country level has the potential to make a significant difference in building resilient health systems. Japan achieved UHC in 1961 at a time of rapid economic development, while the country was still relatively poor. Japan has achieved some of the best population health outcomes at relatively low cost with equity over half a century. However, Japan is facing a huge demographic and fiscal challenge to sustain its health system. In this module, we will review the historical context for Japan’s health system development, examine current challenges to its sustainability, and examine ongoing efforts to reform the system. The major objective is to share important lessons in current debates on global health policy and governance from Japan’s experiences.